Key Figures
Forcible Displacement
As per 2020 statistical reporting in the Americas, the total population of concern is 18,357,000, this includes:
- Total Refugees, Asylum-seekers & Venezuelan Displaced Abroad: 6,728,000
- Total Internally Displaced Persons 8,571,000
- Total Statelessness 4,000
- Total Other of Concerns 3,052,000
Solutions
- Total Returned Refugees 0
- Total Returned IDP 0
- Total Resettlement 19,000
- Total Naturalisation 5,000
Profiles
???Total children below 18
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Regional Overview
The total number of persons of concern by end of 2020 stood at 18,357,000, an increase of more than 20 per cent from 2019 (14,961,993). The Americas hosts 21 per cent of the total persons of concern to UNHCR in the world.
There were more than 6.7 million (6,728,000) refugees, asylum-seekers and Venezuelan displaced abroad (a new category), 0 returned refugees, more than 8 million internally displaced persons (8,571,000) in the region. Persons under UNHCR’s statelessness mandate in the region by end of 2020 stood at 4,000.
18 per cent of the world’s Internally Displaced Persons population
LUCA DI GENNARO
. Globally, Pakistan and Bangladesh are among the 10 countries with the largest refugee/asylum-seeker populations while Afghanistan and Myanmar are the third and fifth country of origin of refugees and asylum-seekers.
- Total 6,728,000 Refugees, Asylum-seekers & Venezuelan Displaced Abroad:
- Total Internally Displaced Persons 8,571,000
- Total Statelessness 4,000
- Total Other of Concerns 3,052,000
Solutions
- Total Returned Refugees 0
- Total Returned IDP 0
- Total Resettlement 19,000
- Total Naturalisation 5,000
An additional 685,000 persons were identified as ‘others of concern’. Others of concern are out of the scope of this report and not included in the analysis. An additional 685,000 persons were identified as ‘others of concern’
The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations. Dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and Pakistan. The final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties.
The following chart visualizes population movements between source and destination countries in the region. Countries that account for less than 1% of the population of concern were lumped together as “Other”.
Figure 1 | Population origin-destination in the region
Figure 2 | Evolution over time of the different Population of Concern
The evolution in the last 20 years shows a significant increased in Internally Displaced Persons, especially in Colombia (8,252,788 over 8,571,000). In the last five years, Asylum-seekers increased substantially. Recently a new category were introduced Venezuelan Displaced Abroad. Refugees are stationary over the time.
Regional Analysis
What displacement?
Compared to the previous year, the population groups with increases were the returned IDPs with 22 per cent and the number of internally displaced persons increased by 12 per cent. The number of refugees and asylum-seekers both reduced slightly by 4 per cent respectively. The largest decrease was within the refugee returnee category with 75 per cent.
Figure 3 | Largest Countries of Asylum
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Figure 4 | Countries with the Most within border Concern to UNHCR
UNHCR ASR source of figures is IDMC, which estimation methodology can differ from other sources: https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/download/?url=E1ZxP
Stateless population refers to those individuals without a nationality in their country of habitual residence. Non-stateless population refers to those individuals without a nationality in their country of habitual residence and who are either internally or internationally displaced.
The population groups in this chart should not be summed up to calculate the total POCs figures as the stateless population group includes both non-displaced and displaced stateless.
Proportion of the population who are refugees, by country of origin (SDG Indicator 10.7.4)
Forced displacement as a result of conflict, violence, and other causes undermine sustainable
development, and can increase the risk of regional instability, especially when refugees are hosted in
neighbouring countries, resulting in possible tensions with local populations. The United Nations General
Assembly Resolution (A/Res/70/1) that adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at
paragraph 23 recognizes the relevance of the Agenda to meet the needs of refugees, internally displaced
persons and migrants on the basis that they are among the most vulnerable. It also explicitly states that
Member States resolve to take further effective measures and actions, to “strengthen support and meet
the special needs of people living in areas affected by complex humanitarian emergencies”. In addition,
target 10.7 recognizes for the first time the contribution of migration to sustainable development by
aiming to “facilitate orderly, safe, and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through
implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies”.
This indicator tracks the number of people displaced across national borders as a result of persecution,
conflict, violence, human rights violations, or events seriously disturbing public order. It measures the
total count of refugee population by country or territory of origin as a proportion of the total population.
Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries
Target name : Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies Indicator name
Proportion of the population who are refugees, by country of origin
he indicator is defined as the total count of population who have been recognized as refugees as a
proportion of the total population of their country of origin, expressed per 100,000 population.
Refugees refers to persons recognized by the Government and/or UNHCR, or those in a refugee-like
situation.
Population refers to total resident population in a given country in a given year.
Concepts:
Refugees recognized by the Government and/or UNHCR include:
(a) persons recognized as refugees by Governments having ratified the 1951 United Nations Convention
Relating to the Status of Refugees, and/or its 1967 Protocol;
Last updated: February 2021
(b) persons recognized as refugees under the 1969 Organization of African Unity (OAU) Convention
Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa;
(c) those recognized in accordance with the principles enshrined in the Cartagena Declaration;
(d) persons recognized by UNHCR as refugees in accordance with its Statute (otherwise referred to as
“mandate” refugees);
(e) those who have been granted a complementary form of protection (i.e. non-Convention);
(f) persons who have been granted temporary protection on a group basis;
Persons in a refugee-like situation refer to those outside their territory of origin who face protection risks
similar to those of refugees, but who, for practical or other reasons, have not been formally recognized or
issued documentation to that effect.
2.b. Unit of measure Number of refugees per 100,000 population in country of origin
Refugee data are sent to UNHCR Country Offices by member states, usually through national institutions responsible for data production in the area of refugee and asylum (National Statistical Offices, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Justice, and Administrative Tribunals). D. When a country does not report refugee figures to UNHCR, estimations based on positive decisions on asylum applications from previous years are used.
Figure 5 | Proportion of the population who are refugees, by country of origin
What profiles?
Figure 6 | Where Demographic Composition is available?
Figure 7 | Demographic Composition
Figure 8 | Where Displacement Condition description is available?
Figure 9 | Displacement & Accommodation Type
Impact of Covid-19, a dramatic drop of solutions
Since the first case of COVID-19 was recorded in December 2019, more than 170 million people worldwide have contracted the virus. In the Asia and the Pacific region, an estimated 30 million people have been confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 and 426,000 COVID-19 deaths have been reported in the region.
Durable solutions include voluntary repatriation, resettlement to a third country, local integration, naturalization and return to place of origin prior to displacement (for IDPs). However, a growing number of displaced populations have limited opportunities for a durable solution. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated these challenges.
The partial or full closure of borders, along with more general restrictions on movement aimed at limiting the pandemic’s spread, has dramatically impacted opportunities for displaced people to return to their home countries or resettle to other countries.
Figure 10 | Trends for Solution
Figure 11 **| Refugee Status Determination trends
Country highlights
Mexico
Figure 12 | Evolution over time of the different Population of Concern
Brazil
Colombia
Ecuador
Peru
Analysis of Situation
Venezuela Siuation
El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala & Mexico
Conclusion: the Importance of EGRIS Recommandations
The Expert Group on Refugee and IDP Statistics, in which UNHCR belongs to the steering committee, has released the International Recommendations on Refugee Statistics (IRRS), which were adopted by the United Nations Statistical Commission during its 2018 session and is a strong Last updated: February 2021 reference for refugee statistics reporting methodologies. UNHCR supports NSOs to build capacity to report on forced displacement in countries that currently lack disaggregated data on refugees.
• Expert Group on Refugee and IDP Statistics (EGRIS): https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/expert-group-on-refugee-statistics
• International Recommendations on Refugee Statistics (IRRS): https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-manuals-and-guidelines/-/KS-GQ-18-004